In my opinion, these two treats might have been even better than the candy balls I posted below. The chocolate-hazelnut thumbprints were a decadent treat, and the Maple-Chile popcorn was the perfect blend of sweet and spicy. Yummy.
CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT THUMBPRINTS
Yield: 28 cookies (serving size: 1 cookie)
Ingredients
- 4.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso (optional; I used a packet of Starbucks Via)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup finely chopped hazelnuts, toasted
- 1/3 cup hazelnut-chocolate spread (such as Nutella)
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, and salt; stir with a whisk. Place butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Stir egg yolks with a whisk, adding espresso, if desired. Add the yolk mixture and vanilla to butter; beat well. Add flour mixture to butter mixture; beat at low speed just until combined.
3. Turn dough out onto a sheet of wax paper; Mine was REALLY crumbly; knead 6 times or until smooth and shiny. Shape dough into 28 (1-inch) balls. Roll sides of balls in nuts, pressing gently. Arrange balls 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Press thumb into center of each cookie, leaving an indentation. Bake, 1 batch at a time, at 350° for 10 minutes. Remove cookies from pans; cool completely on wire racks. Spoon a scant 1/2 teaspoon hazelnut-chocolate spread into center of each cookie.Nutritional Information
- Calories: 104
- Fat: 6.5g (sat 2.7g,mono 2.3g,poly 0.4g)
- Protein: 1.6g
- Carbohydrate: 10.9g
- Fiber: 0.8g
- Cholesterol: 23mg
- Iron: 0.6mg
- Sodium: 46mg
- Calcium: 11mg
AND.....
MAPLE-CHILE POPCORN
Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup)
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 8 cups popcorn (popped without salt or fat; I used Steplanie's brown bag trick)
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
Preparation
Preheat oven to 300°.
Coat a 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan or other large rimmed baking pan with cooking spray.
Place popcorn in a large metal or glass bowl lightly coated with cooking spray.
Combine syrup, butter, salt, and pepper in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring just until combined. Cook, without stirring, for 2 minutes. Pour syrup mixture over popcorn in a steady stream, stirring to coat.
Spread popcorn mixture in an even layer into prepared pan. Bake at 300° for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and cool completely in pan.Nutritional Information
- Calories: 48 (17% from fat)
- Fat: 0.9g (sat 0.5g,mono 0.2g,poly 0.1g)
- Protein: 0.5g
- Carbohydrate: 9.9g
- Fiber: 0.6g
- Cholesterol: 2mg
- Iron: 0.2mg
- Sodium: 79mg
- Calcium: 7mg
